Blood pressure is a reflection of the amount of blood that the heart pumps and the amount of flow resistance to blood flow in the arteries. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a medical condition of elevated blood pressure in the arteries. In some cases, hypertension develops gradually over many years due to a variety of factors (e.g., genetics and diet), while in other cases, hypertension is caused by an underlying condition such as kidney problems, thyroid problems, or certain medications. When uncontrolled, hypertension can lead to serious health problems such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
In patients diagnosed with high systemic or pulmonary blood pressure (hypertension), reduction of blood pressure may reduce risk of stroke, aneurysm, kidney, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and peripheral vascular disease. In 2012, the prevalence of hypertension in the U.S. among adults older than 18 years of age was 30%. Utilization of antihypertensive medication to treat moderately high blood pressure is widespread. However, this may have limited efficacy because of high costs, undesirable side effects, and/or the need for continued patient compliance. Certain patients may remain unresponsive to this therapy or develop resistance to treatments leaving their blood pressure uncontrolled. It may therefore be useful to find alternative treatments for hypertension.